District 9 is full of contradictions.

It’s an often horrific science fiction film with uncomfortably funny scenes that would feel right at place in The Office. It’s an allegory about ethnic strife and prejudice that contains some borderline offensive racial stereotypes. It’s a B movie on a shoestring budget (by Hollywood standards) boasting special effects that rival those in films costing 10 times as much.

But the central contradiction is that a film made up of the parts of so many other movies winds up such a surprisingly original achievement.

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